


Welcome to the Confidante

by hearteating



Category: New Rules - Dua Lipa (Music Video)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Post-Break Up, Time Slide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 03:17:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12696162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearteating/pseuds/hearteating
Summary: Leila knows she needs to end things with her boyfriend, but she doesn't have any success until she wanders in to the Confidante





	Welcome to the Confidante

**Author's Note:**

  * For [st_aurafina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/st_aurafina/gifts).



Leila lay in bed and watched her phone. Soon, she knew, it would light up with a text or a call from him. It's how things had been going lately. This was the third time in a row he'd skipped out on their dinner plans, but he was always talking about how busy he was. She understood. He'd text any minute and apologize, she knew it.

She fell asleep waiting. 

* * *

It's like something out of a movie, girls smiling and brushing each other's hair and all wearing coordinating robes. They compliment Leila and make her laugh, they listen to her, and she can't remember the last time she felt so comfortable. These girls are her friends, she knows, her best friends, and she loves them.  
He'd forgotten their anniversary. When Leila mentioned it, he'd apologized and said he'd thought it was next week, said he'd make it up to her. It wasn't worth fighting about, so she let him kiss her and take her to bed and tried to pretend she wasn't disappointed.

* * *

The halls of the hotel are familiar by now, and there's always at least one girl she knows roaming them. The stationary by the beds reads _The Confidante_ ; it's a good name. Leila feels like she can tell these girls anything. Her secrets are safe here.

She takes a moment to admire the moon through the windows at the end of the hall. It's full and bright and lights up the night. It's always night inside the walls of the Confidante, but as soon as she steps out to go to the pool, the sun shines bright and warm in a cloudless sky. 

“Are you happy?” Crystal asks, leaning against the wall next to the window, one leg tucked up and her foot flat to the wall. Leila flashes a smile at her; of all the girls here, she feels closest to Crystal.

“Yeah,” replies Leila. She hadn't been, before. She can't remember why-- something about a boy? It had seemed so important at the time, but now she can't even remember his name. She steps close to bump shoulders with Crystal. “I am.” 

“Good, 'cause I'm really happy you're here,” Crystal says, smiling sweetly.

“Me too.” 

* * *

Leila walked down the street, angry and upset and ashamed. She'd gone over to his place to end things, finally, for good this time, and somehow they'd ended up in bed. It was always like this, she thought. As soon as she tried to break free, he'd do something right or say something sweet, and all her love would come rushing back.

This time, she'd left as soon as he fell asleep. She wouldn't give herself the chance to fall back into him; she'd leave now and harden her heart and break up with him properly tomorrow.

For now, though, she walked home through the warm Florida night, trying to forget his touch and to remember all the reasons he was bad for her.

A flash of pink out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. It was a hotel, plastic pink flamingos out front under the floodlights and a neon sign.

_The Confidante._

She stopped and looked at the hotel. There were at least five other hotels on the strip, but they were the standard chain hotels. This one stood out.

What the hell. What was another bad decision tonight? She'd go in and drink overpriced hotel bar alcohol and maybe talk to a stranger about her boyfriend.

Ten minutes later saw her perched on a bar stool with a blueberry martini. The bar was almost empty at this time, which was to be expected, but there were a few others here. Three women sat together, heads close and laughing quietly. Another woman stood at the end of the bar, wearing pajamas and flirting with the bartender in a comfortable, familiar way. Leila felt a stab of jealousy at the sight-- she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt comfortable around him. She should have gone straight home.

She was just about to stand up and leave when a girl her age appeared. She spotted Leila and smiled so warmly Leila couldn't help but smile back. She had a long, narrow face and curly hair, and Leila couldn't shake the feeling that she knew her.

“Hi,” she said, sliding a knee onto the stool next to Leila, her other leg planted on the ground. “Everything ok?”

Leila let out a choked laugh.

“Not really.” The girl didn't say anything, just looked at her kindly, and Leila found herself spilling the whole story-- how she loved her boyfriend, and how great he could be sometimes, but how lately he wasn't even trying. How every time she tried to leave him, she wound up in his bed. Things she hadn't told her friends, she found she could tell this half-familiar girl in a hotel bar.

“Oh, Leila,” the girl sighed. “That sucks.”

Leila finished her drink and leaned in to press their shoulders together.

“Thanks. God, I know I need to get over him, but it's so hard.”

“Sounds like you need the Rules,” replied the girl with a sympathetic smile.

Leila didn't normally take advice from strangers, but it was late, and the drink had been strong, and this girl was such a good listener. And the sense of familiarity and belonging had grown stronger the whole time she'd been at the bar. The girl wasn't a stranger, not really.

Crystal, she remembered. That was her name.

“Tell me about the Rules.” 

* * *

It's hard, at first. She spends her time in the hotel, where everything is new and interesting, but she still can't keep her mind completely off him. He calls at odd hours, and she finds herself reaching for the phone without a second thought. When the other girls are there, they take the phone from her and shake their heads, sympathetic but firm.

Don't pick up the phone. It's part of the Rules, and she gets it, she _does_ , but it's hard sometimes. When she sees his name all she can think about are the good times they shared. She misses the feel of him against her.

Several times, however, she's the only one there, and she picks up the phone, hears his voice asking if she wants to come over. She does, but every time she moves to leave, there's Crystal or Amy or one of the girls to stop her. They remind her about the Rules and suggest she do something else instead.

So they dance or go to the pool or give each other makeovers and talk until Leila forgets about the phone call.

With Crystal's help, and Amy's, and all the other girls, she gets better at resisting, and the time between phone calls gets longer and longer until he stops calling altogether. Cut him out completely, the Rules say, and it's like a weight she wasn't aware of is gone. She's free, and she feels light as air. 

* * *

Life in the Confidante is a movie montage kind of life-- there's always something to do, always friends to talk with. Leila learns the best color lipstick for everyone, their favorite way to have their hair done, how to stand with one leg tucked up like the other girls.

The first time she kisses Crystal, they're by the pool. Crystal is lounging on one of the deck chairs and Leila's fresh from the pool, dripping cold water over her. They're both laughing, and Leila doesn't think twice before leaning down and kissing her.

After that, the days are a blur of kisses and warm brown skin and nights where it's just the two of them. Leila isn't sure how long it lasts-- time is strange at the Confidante-- but it's wonderful. When the heat between them dies down and they slip back into being just-friends, she worries things will be strange.The Rules exist for a reason, but she's not sure she can cut Crystal out of her life; she'd miss her too much. There's no need to worry, though; that's not how things work here. Instead of needing to distance themselves from one another, they're closer than ever. Maybe they'll get back together again, or maybe they won't, but she hasn't lost Crystal, and now she doesn't think she ever will. 

* * *

A girl keeps catching Leila's eye. She's new, or maybe she's been here forever, and Leila is only noticing her now. Dark hair cut short, with pale skin and solemn eyes. Her name is Mia, and she reminds Leila of how she used to be, so long ago she's almost forgotten.

Leila isn't like Crystal, doesn't have the same talent for drawing a girl out with laughter and casual touch, but she tries. She brushes Mia's hair gently, asks her questions about herself, tugs her along when she goes to the pool. Her efforts pay off, and soon she and Mia are fast friends.

“It's about time you took someone under your wing,” Crystal says one night as Leila rummages through a drawer for the right color of nail polish. “I know you'll take care of her.”

Leila doesn't quite understand, but she smiles anyway. 

* * *

It's late, and Leila is struck with the urge to visit the hotel bar. She hasn't been since she first arrived at the Confidante, but it looks just the same as it did back then. It's not crowded-- she can see Amy flirting with the bartender, and Amira, Cassie, and Grace are laughing at something together.

And Mia's there, sitting alone on a stool. There are dark circles under her eyes and she's staring at her martini like she doesn't know what to do with it. Something in Leila's chest clenches painfully, and she knows what to do.

“Hi,” she says, sliding a knee onto the stool next to Mia, her other leg planted on the ground. “Everything ok?

**Author's Note:**

> I love this music video, and I absolutely loved your prompts! I also think that there's something weird about the hotel- not badweird, but definitely weird! So I went with 'safehaven complete with timefuckery.' Hope you enjoyed, and happy Yuletide!


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